March Movie Preview

Let's take a break from predicting my games and talk about the upcoming releases of interest in theaters next month!

 Mulan

This movie looks horrible! I didn't even enjoy the animated film when it came out years ago either. PASS!

 Onward

Usually something by Pixar would get me excited but I'm not feeling it for this one for some reason.

Godzilla vs King Kong

I saw the first one back in the 60's, why should I bother watching another one now?!

Have a good weekend folks! And avoid the box office next month at all costs!!

Top 100 Board Games 2020 Predictions (70-61)

 70) Corporate America

This game bounced back from being #97 on the list in 2018! I think it stays on my list but shuffles a few spots down due to newer games entering the collection.

 69) Desperadoes of Dice Town

A prequel game to Dice Town that now beats it in the rankings. Fun and short. Perfect blend in a game. I think it holds it's own and stays where it is on the list in 2020.

 68) Papa Paolo

Pizza delivery game that offers a lot of gameplay. But will it make it to the table that much this year? I'm not so sure, which is why I'm predicting it drops a little.

 67) Drum Roll

This one's pretty steady on my list over the past few years but in 2020 I think it finally begins to drop.

 66) Expedition Northwest Passage

Hard to say. AP is what brings it down in rank but the game is BEAUTIFUL and so much fun to play! I'll say it slides down a few spots this year.

 65) El Gaucho

A game where you have to set up one move ahead (sometimes two) but is not that complicated to play! I think it gets bumped down a little this year.

 64) Via Appia

Another great Queen Game that moves a little more down the ranks in 2020.

 63) The Adventurers

Both games are a lot of fun and 2019 was the first time it actually moved down on my list after being ranked in the Top 50. I think this game will continue to move down in 2020.

 62) Finca

Argh! Another hard one to predict! Such a great game, it moves down but not by much!

61) At the Gates of Loyang

A really love this Uwe Rosenburg game but some in my gaming group HATE Uwe so it may hurt it slightly in the rankings this year.

Top 100 Board Games 2020 Predictions (80-71)

 80) Gugong

For some odd reason I see a lot of people selling this on the secondary market. It's a great game and I plan on buying the expansion when it comes out. I think the expansion (if good) will shoot this game up the list, if it's bad, then....I still think it moves up, but not by much.

 79) Archon: Glory and Machination

Weird title. Weird look. Incredible game. It moves up the list.

 78) Heaven and Ale

Another underappreciated game but a lot of folks. And since I have so many predictions about games moving up the list, I think I'll call that this one drops a little to make room for the others.

 77) Queen's Architect

I think this game also drops a bit but stays within my Top 100.

 76) Il Vecchio

Now my head says this one drops but my heart's saying it stays roughly where it's at in the rankings so I'm going with that!

 75) Airships

We had an AWESOME play last year but I'm not sure we can beat that, so I predict this drops in rank in 2020.

 74) Mercado

Fun bag builder. Loved by my gaming group....hmmmm...let's say it stays roughly around where it is in the rankings even though I have a fun promo I plan to play with the next time it comes to the table.

 73) Dinosaur Island

Jurassic Park in a box. Great game but it'll take another step down in rank when the next list is made.

 72) Big City

I think this one falls on my list again in 2020. I love the game but it's not getting to the table as much as it used to back in the day.

71) Deep Sea Adventure

Hard to tell...great filler game but it may slide down a few spots in 2020.

Top 100 Board Games 2020 Predictions (90-81)

 90) Formula E

A racing game that's loved by my nephews and my gaming group. I don't see it rising on the list though. It may even drop off the Top 100 but I'm going to predict it barely hangs on due to its popularity.

 89) North Wind

Rats! I think this game's going to drop off my Top 100 because it's too simple. Nothing wrong with the game personally, but I feel the simplicity will have it bounced from the Top 100 in 2020.

 88) Quartz

I LOVE this push your luck game. So much fun! But like North Wind, there's not enough game to move this one up. It drops, end of the year.

 87) Dice Town

Another great dice game that's slowly slipping off my Top 100. I'm not sure being ranked this low if it can continue the trend to stay in the Top 100 this year but I hope it does.

 86) Yunnan

The newest game in my collection to make the list. That said, it didn't get played as much, something I hope to remedy this year. Not sure where this game will land this year but if I had to guess, I'd say it moves up.

 85) Luxor

My heart says this game stays where it is on the list but my head's telling me it drops. I love the queenies for this game and will never play a game without them.

 84) Saint Petersburg

Deck builder. Can't believe I love it so much. If we have another great game of this, it rises in rank. If not, it stays on the list but slightly lower.

 83) Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road

I think this game's moving up the list. A lot like Splendor but different enough to stand on its own. Wonderful game.

 82) Praetor

Another awesome game that surprises me after every play. It moves up as well in 2020.

81) Council of Four

Ugh! Hard one to guess. Let's say it moves down but stays in the Top 80 in the end.

Top 100 Board Games 2020 Predictions (100-91)

 100) Dice Hospital 

Going to be hard to hang on to the Top 100 spot with many games entering the collection every year. But the good new for this game is it has an expansion on the way that looks pretty good. In it there's a maternity ward and pink little dice that represent babies.

I'm excited to play it and if it's good, then this game stays in the Top 100. If it flops, it drops.

 99) Toledo

A fantastic sword making game that stayed in the Top 100 last year but barely. I'm not sure it can stay in 2020 due to so many new games coming in every year so I think this is the last time it makes my Top 100.

 98) Burger Boss

I love the theme of this game but it's not enough to save it from dropping in my Top 100. Really rare a game this low moves up. And I've played this enough to know, there's nothing new to add. Great game, but it'll drop in the rankings for sure.

97) Biblios Dice

Awesome dice game but I don't think it'll come to the table enough to stay in the Top 100 this year.

 96) Porta Nigra

Very popular in my gaming group but I don't think that'll be enough to keep it in the Top 100 come end of the year.

 95) Hamburgum

I love the rondel. I love the history and I love the gameplay but all 3 aren't enough to save a game that's been slowly sliding lower on the list every year. This year is when it drops from the Top 100.

 94) Conquest of Nerath

Probably the best war game in my collection. Though I love it, straight up war games aren't my favorite, so I think it's gone from the Top 100 as well.

 93) Mexica

An area control game that looks beautiful on the board. But I think this is also it's last year in the Top 100 as area control isn't my favorite mechanism.

 92) Architects of the West Kingdom

I could hear a collective gasp from the internet when I ranked this game so low but that's because it was still new to me back then. With an expansion on the way and more plays to be had, I believe this game will rise on my list this year.

91) Crown of Emara

Another game in my collection that didn't get enough plays to justify a higher rank last year. This year I think this one also rises in rank in 2020.

Cure for the empty Mall

Someone asked me the other day what I would do if I owned a mall and how I would bring back it's popularity so I thought today I'd share my thoughts.

First off, I'd lower prices. One of the biggest mistakes Mall's are making these days is thinking they're still relevant. Though they haven't increased prices, they refuse to lower them, thinking the appeal of the mall is still strong with the average consumer.

This simply isn't true anymore. With online shopping, malls are becoming a thing of the past but it's not too late to save them.

So what stores should they be focusing on? I think the niche local store like jewelry and clothing would be good. But I'd also add "experience" stores as well. Wall climbing, indoor putt-putt and laser tag just to name a few.  And get a few more restaurants to inhabit your stores and I think you have a guaranteed weekend destination/party/date night for everyone.

Personally, I hate malls and don't mind seeing them going to the way of the buffalo. In fact, I'm inclined to believe this is where they're inevitably headed in the next 10 years any way but to me, this is a solid strategy they could try to save them if they want it bad enough.

Have a good weekend folks!

The Irishman Review

Finally got to see this and to sum up my thoughts.....

Pretty good.

3 1/2 hours?!?! I little too long in the tooth. Drags a little and felt like an extended directors cut. I think it's safe to say Netflix let them do whatever they wanted to release it.

Joe Pesci is fantastic. Everyone else is on point. Movie's worth your time though it is a little long. Not Scorsese's best but enjoyable all the same.

Mac and Me Review

Voted by some to be the "Worst movie of the 80's" I grew up watching this as a kid and actually enjoyed it. I just recently watched it again a while back and I still thought it was fun.

Is it hokey? Oh yes. Does it have bad acting? Indeed. Is it bad 80's call backs? You know it.

Is it worth your time? HECK YES!

Too bad this ET ripoff bombed so bad. It would've made the "We'll be back" logo at the end a lot more meaningful if it'd made money.

Top 200 Board Game prediction for 2020 (110-101)

 110) Fortuna

Hard to say....down?

 109) Master Builder

Even though it fell off my list last year it fell off BARELY. Unfortunately I don't see a path where it gets back in. It'll slightly drop again in 2020.

 108) Cupcake Empire

One good play and this hops on my Top 100 list instantly. Either way, I predict it moves closer up the list.

 107) Urbania

Dang! This one's not going to make it any higher on the list I'm afraid but I do love the game!

 106) Glen More

Same with this one too. I think the game is excellent but won't move up any higher in 2020.

 105) Imhotep

Hard to say. The more I play it the more I love it. But with new games entering my list, it's going to be hard to stand out....I think it pretty much holds it's ranking and outlast any other games that get pushed off the Top 100 this year.

 104) Zombies!!!

Believe it or not, with the Megan and the girls being included in the newest expansion coming out soon, that means Megan may play it with me again....which means....it's coming back to the Top 100 in 2020!

 103) Hansa Teutonica

After JUST missing out on the Top 100 last year I'm afraid it can't go any higher.

 102) Robo Rally

How does such an excellent game NOT make my list?! I don't think it ever will either. But I'm rooting for it too!

101) Dice Forge

GREAT dice builder! Shocked it didn't make the cut in 2019. It has a lot of hard work to beat out the other games (both new and old) in 2020 but I have a feeling it has what it takes to make the jump back in!